The recently elected State legislators from our part of Arizona seem to think that Arizona’s ongoing economic recovery is due to their leadership and ideology. This is no more the case than it would be to blame the State legislature for the Great Recession that devastated so many lives. They appear to believe that cutting Arizona’s educational system by billions in order to balance the budget has resulted in no real harm. A visit or two to some of our public schools might change their minds.

In general, our legislators don’t have much to say about the devastating impact of the Great Wall Street Recession on Arizona, perhaps because the recession was a direct result of deregulation. After all, it’s hard to argue that government regulation is “job-killing” when it was, in fact, the roll-back of financial regulations that led to the loss of hundreds of millions of jobs across the country.

Our state Sen. Al Melvin (R-District 11) recently copied Texas Governor Rick Perry by inviting a wealthy golfer to move to a state where he will be “taken care of.” This appears to be a version of the worn-out mantra of trickle-down economics, repeated yet again in spite of economic study after economic study that fails to show any link between tax breaks for the wealthy and the creation of good, well-paying jobs.

We can do better than being a tax haven for the wealthy, Arizona. Our legislature can lead the way. We can make sure that taxpayer dollars stay focused on public infrastructure, such as education and transportation. We must stop spending millions of taxpayer dollars on private schools, on ideological challenges to the federal government, and on tax incentives with no accountability. We can invest in the future of Arizona, in clean energy and state-of-the-art public schools. We can do the things that need to be done to put people back to work at a fair wage. This is the job of government, to set the stage for middle class growth.

Many of us, Democrats, Republicans, Independents, and others, believe in America and Arizona and are tired of the constant anti-government rhetoric we hear from our legislators. Most of us are fed up with politicians who cater to the wealthy at the expense of the rest of us. We want to be able to be proud of our government again. It can happen, it’s up to us.

7 comments:

Anyone wanting to know the Democrats position on an issue should go to the Democratic Party Platform online. I quote from issue #28-Protecting a womans right to make health decisons: "President Obama believes a woman's health care choices are personal decisions, best made with her doctor, without interference from politicians" This position precedes President Obama and is based on the experiences of the States when they banned abortion.

When it comes to insults, MSNBC leads the way, so do not lecture me about civility of discourse, which is not an attribute of the Democrats. I do not go to FOX for all of the information concerning politics and social issues, but even on their worst day, they are far more balanced than much of the mainstream media. For the most part, I have found most progressives are less informed and more prone to simple minded thinking than conservatives.

No one is saying the Republicans are correct on all issues, but neither are the Democrats. I have watched both parties very closely over the past 60 years and do not have the mindset that either party is not beset by corruption, missed opportunities, legislative incompetence, outright distortions. Both parties are behoven to special interests, be they unions, particular industries, and various groups. That is the reason I am primarily an independent conservative on social issues, On the issue of abortion, sir, you misrepresent the true facts. The Democratic Party does not, nor has it ever held the position that government should stay out of abortion. The Demcrats support government funding of abortion through Obamacare and funding to Planned Parenthood, including late term. Abortions involve the destruction of an unwanted child, in 93% of cases simply for the reason of inconvenience. It is simply is not just a matter between a mother and a doctor. It is a moral issue affecting society and in cases of late late term destruction, it is tantamount to murder.

I find John F. has a bit of anger toward we democrats. At least he is still talking. How quickly we forget how we got into the Recession. The republicans in the Bush administration gave away our budget surplus: started two wars without funding them and cut taxes on the wealthy. John had a lot of false accusations about the abortion issue. No one is for abortions. Dems just don't believe it is the governments duty to control. In the late 1800s, most states outlawed abortions. By the 1920s, all states had rescinded these laws. Too many mothers died at the hands of "quacks, leaving behind their husbands and other children. Abortions should be a matter between the Doctor and the mother.

Ms. Holt's thoughtful analysis of the sad situation in our state legislature should give every voter a reason to change the majority in that body. The current majority is more concerned with passing laws outlawing life outside their own narrow, reactionary value system, than with creating a state government that will make life better for all the people. Ms. Holt's comments reflect practicalities more than anything else. Her seat in the Arizona legislature would be a vast improvement for us all.

I found the article to be thoughtful and inclusive. We can sure use people like her in our legislature.It is obvious that Mr Flanagan does not have a good argument because he starts out by insulting the writer and then goes on to commit the very thing he is accusing the other side of. His talking points are right from the FOX propaganda playbook.The country is tired of Republican obstructionism. The two party system can only work when both sides compromise.

Sounds like the usual Obama and DNC distortions straight out of MSNBC. Talking points are often repeated to stress the Democratic Party's penchant for using isolated situations, usually involving a conservative comment, to maintain the continuing assault on non liberals who oppose the lavish spending addiction of Democrats. Oh, yes, those pesky Republicans only help the rich, want to destroy the environment, detest spending tax payer funds on green programs which are not cost effective, and yes.....Republicans are waging a war on the rights of women. Perhaps, it is the Republicans alone, and few Democrats, have common sense in running an efficient budget, a crime in the eyes of free spending socialists. With respect to Republican efforts to curtail abortion legislatively, I guess some pro-abortion supporters do not see the rights of unborn children as important. So making the abortion of unwanted babies made in God's image, destroyed because the are inconvenient, unwanted, unloved, is secondary to the right of a woman to destroy it, including late term, which Obama and most Democrats, but few Republicans support.